Mac OS X Lion is ready to roar

The highly-anticipated Mac OS X Lion is now available for purchase as a download from the Mac App Store in both standard and Server versions. If you’ve got a Mac, it’ll set you back just $38.99 for the standard and $64.99 for Lion Server (cheap for a major new OS release – compare it to Windows!) and will bring much of the iOS experience to your desktop.

Apple are promising over 250 new features including multi-touch gestures, full-screen apps, Mission Control, Launchpad, Auto Save, Versions, AirDrop, and an all-new Mail app that will look very familiar to iPad owners.

If you have downloaded it and you are wanting to install it on multiple devices then just quit out of the installer, go into your Applicatins folder and you will see “Install Mac OS X Lion” as an application. You can then copy this across to a flash drive and install it on your other machines.

If you want to create a bootable DVD or Flash drive of the Lion image then follow the instructions here at OSX Daily:

SYDNEY, Australia – 21 July 2011 – Apple® today announced that Mac OS® X Lion, the eighth major release of the world’s most advanced operating system with more than 250 new features, is available today as a download from the Mac® App Store™ for recommended retail price (RRP) AUD$31.99 inc GST. Some of the amazing features in Lion include: new Multi-Touch® gestures; system-wide support for full screen apps; Mission Control, an innovative view of everything running on your Mac; the Mac App Store, the best place to find and explore great software, built right into the OS; Launchpad, a new home for all your apps; and a completely redesigned Mail app.

“Lion is the best version of OS X yet, and we’re thrilled that users around the world can download it starting today,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “Lion makes upgrading a Mac easier than ever before; just launch the Mac App Store, buy Lion with your iTunes account, and the download and install process will begin automatically.”

Additional new features in Lion include:

• Resume, which conveniently brings your apps back exactly how you left them when you restart your Mac or quit and relaunch an app;
• Auto Save, which automatically and continuously saves your documents as you work;
• Versions, which automatically records the history of your document as you create it, and gives you an easy way to browse, revert and even copy and paste from previous versions; and
• AirDrop, which finds nearby Macs and automatically sets up a peer-to-peer wireless connection to make transferring files quick and easy.

Pricing & Availability
Mac OS X Lion is available as an upgrade to Mac OS X version 10.6.6 Snow Leopard® from the Mac App Store for RRP AUD$31.99 inc GST. Lion is the easiest OS X upgrade and at around 4GB, it is about the size of an HD movie from the iTunes Store®. Users who do not have broadband access at home, work or school can download Lion at Apple retail stores and in late August, Lion will be made available on a USB thumb drive through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com/au) for RRP AUD$75 inc GST. Mac OS X Lion Server requires Lion and is available from the Mac App Store for RRP AUD$51.99 inc GST.

Lion requires an Intel-based Mac with a Core 2 Duo, i3, i5, i7 or Xeon processor and 2GB of RAM. Lion is an upgrade and can be installed on all your authorised personal Macs. Details regarding Business and Education licensing can be found at apple.com/au/macosx.

The OS X Lion Up-to-Date upgrade will be available through the Mac App Store at no additional charge to all customers who purchased a qualifying new Mac system from Apple or an Apple Authorised Reseller on or after 6 June, 2011. Users must request their Up-to-Date upgrade within 30 days of purchase of their Mac computer. Customers who purchased a qualifying Mac between 6 June, 2011 and 20 July, 2011 will have until 19 August, 2011 to make a request. Additional information can be found at apple.com/au/macosx/uptodate.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced iPad 2 which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

I am at work on a 25Mbps connection and its still downloading hours later?? I have closed and restarted a few times but its slow going. Not sure whats going on as others seem to be getting better results. Guess I could have waited until the hype dies down but wheres the fun in that

Finished downloading the Lion it took me 45min and rather than regret it later i’m doing a backup before i install it. I have also decided to save the downloaded copy of Lion on an external USB as well Just in case all turns to custard i don’t have to download it all over again.

Just called Apple to find out about getting my free upgrade for my month old iMac. Apparently have to wait for an email to say my computer qualifies and then it can be downloaded for free. Email 24-48 hours away supposedly in case anyone else is in the same boat.

So I have managed to download and install on my Macbook Air…loving it but now I face another hurdle/question before I proceed onto my main Mac. I noticed that iTunes 10.5 didn’t work on Lion so I had to download 10.4 (64bit). My concern is that I had 10.5 as that was needed to sync the iOS beta 5 devices. Does 10.4 work with these or can 10.5 be made compatible with Lion. Anyone installed Lion and sync’d a beta idevice since?

So I have managed to download and install on my Macbook Air…loving it but now I face another hurdle/question before I proceed onto my main Mac. I noticed that iTunes 10.5 didn’t work on Lion so I had to download 10.4 (64bit). My concern is that I had 10.5 as that was needed to sync the iOS beta 5 devices. Does 10.4 work with these or can 10.5 be made compatible with Lion. Anyone installed Lion and sync’d a beta idevice since?

@MartyMan, I went to this link (OS X Lion Up-to-Date Program) – http://www.apple.com/nz/macosx/uptodate/ and completed the form (note I put NZ in the State field as it’s more keyed to our cousins over on the West Island).

Once done, I received a redemption code and a link to the Mac App store and hey presto, the free Lion download started.